My Marathon Progress

I ran a third of a marathon. Just over eight miles!

 

And it felt good. Even in those pants!

It was the first time I felt like I was in a rhythm, a groove. I plodded along, forging steadily onward for EIGHT MILES! I ran with a friend and the peer pressure kept me going well beyond what I could have done alone. And that got me thinking about my favorite Bible verses, Hebrews 12:1-2 which read,

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

I understand those verses in way I never did before I started my running adventure. I know what running with endurance looks like. I know how important it is to lay aside weights and things which drag me down. I understand both the joys of aerodynamics and the irritation of chafing!

And I know how important it is to have someone with me, going at the same pace, encouraging my progress. This is true in running and in life. I would have quit well before I hit seven miles if CariAnn hadn’t been there. I would have given up in so many other areas of life without friends and family members pacing me– helping me conserve energy when I needed to and pushing me to sprint to the finish at other times. My quarter marathon run and those verses reminded me of the importance of choosing a good running mate because he or she can have an incredible influence on your race.

Who are you running with?